By Bockarrie Allieu
FREETOWN: Aug 8 (SALONE TIMES – 232news.com) – The President of the Sierra Leone Karate Federation (SLKF), Victor Edward Amara, who is also doubles as the President for the Union Africa Karate Federation has stated that his association is very grateful to the government of Sierra Leone for the massive support given to his association.
The Sierra Leone Karate Federation recently hosted the West Africa Karate Championship in June and received massive support from the government of Sierra Leone through the sports ministry, NSA and the Ministry of Finance.
The Karate President made this statement on Saturday July 30 at the Atlantic Beach, Lumley in Freetown while he was presenting NLe 90, 000 cheque to the team that participated in the West Africa Karate Championship in June.
He told the media that they were very grateful to the government of Sierra Leone, through the Ministry of Sports, the National Sports Authority (NSA) and the finance ministry for the above gesture. “We want to thank the Sports Minister, Ibrahim Nyelenkeh, the Minister of Finance and his Finance Secretary for supporting the SLKF”, he said.
He went on that they were at the Atlantic Beach to present the allowances due the athletes and the officials who took part in the competition. He told the beneficiaries that they have an SLKF account, of which he said every money given to them will go directly to the association account. He pointed out that cheque of SLKF (NLe 90, 000, 000) was for the entire team of 22 people which consist of athletes and officials, the two coaches and a referee that participated in the competition. Edward Amara continued that they participated in the championship and won six gold medals and became the champions of West Africa. This he said happened because of the support by the Ministry of Support and the Government of President Julius Maada Bio. Before the competition he said he promised to win medals for the country and that they were now looking forward for the opportunity to presents the medals to President Bio and thank him for his support which demonstrates his total commitment towards the development of sports in the Country, he noted that,
The President encouraged the athletes to continue training hard and spread out the sport to the schools and the communities because the sport is not only for the schools but for the communities none school going pupils and also the elders around Karate as it is not only for the kids.
He called on the youth to come on board to be part of the sport and say some might not be an athlete’s but they might become a coach, adding that veteran athletes must come board as they have something to offer to the association. “The doors are always open for all to come on board but say they are emphasizing on discipline which is key to any sport. Victor told the media that they have a team that is preparing to represent Sierra Leone in the Commonwealth Championship in September in Birmingham, England. Karate he said is not part of the Commonwealth Games that is going on now, but said they the members of Commonwealth Countries will be having Karate Championship at Birmingham from September 7th to 9th 2022.
In her brief statement, 10 years old Boitawor Sufa Amara who won gold medal for Sierra Leone expressed thanks and appreciation to the executive of the Sierra Leone Karate Federation (SLKF) for giving her the opportunity to showcase her talent and also thanked the government for motivating them to continue to train hard for future competition.
Abdulai Koroma, who doubles as athletes and coach said as one of the gold medallist winner in the West Africa Karate Championship he was happy for the support, thanking both the association’s president and the government of Sierra Leone for the wonderful gesture to the SLKF.
“This support shows that our hard work to put the Country on top has been recognized by not only by the people of Sierra Leone but also by the government. SLKF’s team captain Momoh Paul Frank Fofanah maintained. “I am appealing to my colleague to work hard so that they too will secure medals in the next international competitions as we are now preparing for the Commonwealth Karate Championship,” he noted.
